ISLAMABAD, Sept 16: Emancipation and enlightened moderation have always been the way of Sufis and these qualities are best exemplified by Mir Ali Shah Syed Ali Kabir Hamadan, who preached love and compassion.

This was stated by Parliamentary Secretary for Education Makhdum Jafar Hussain Bukhari at the International Shah Hamadan Conference arranged in the auditorium of Pakistan Academy of Letters on Tuesday.

The Shah Hamadan International Islamic Association and the National Coordination Council organized the event.

Mr Bukhari said Shah Hamadan bridged the culture of many countries including Iran, Pakistan, India, and the Central Asian States, and converted a vast following of 40,000 people to the fold of Islam in Kashmir. These people, who were the descendants of those who originally belonged to a different religion, were now busy in a struggle to make Kashmir a part of Pakistan.

They based their claim on the principle that governed the division of Pakistan and India, that Muslim majority areas of the sub-continent would form Pakistan, and the rest India.

The truth implicit in this logic should have been accepted long ago, but, instead, an ugly situation has been allowed to linger for the last 56 years, to which a solution must be found, Mr Bukhari said.

The Iranian cultural counsellor, Dr Raza Mustafvi Sabzwari, also read an essay in the seminar, in which he referred to the scholarly pursuits of Syed Ali Hamadan, who was the author of several works besides being an outstanding poet. He contributed to transfer of Islamic civilization in the South Asian sub- continent, where he also established a number of seminaries, which became the centre of learning and emancipation.

Shah Hamadan’s attitude towards emancipation of the common man was reflected in his writing.

He says before a ruler enforced any rule, he must test it on his own person to see whether the rule suited him.

Prof (Dr) Riaz Ahmad, director, National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research, said the great 14th century Sufi travelled to many countries and invited the masses to accept the teachings of Islam through gentle persuasion, and pious and caring nature. The Sufi opposed excesses against people’s rights.

The president of the association, Dr Ghazanfar Mehdi, said Shah Hamadan was a unifying link between the peoples of Pakistan and Central Asian States on which a grand edifice of bilateral cooperation could be built. He asked the Foreign Office to utilize this great asset in forging greater friendship and understanding in the region.

Muzammil Hussain of the Islamic University highlighted the entire life of the great Sufi, who, he said, had written about 170 books. He died in 1385 and was buried in Khatlan, Tajikistan.

Abdul Majid Amjad of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry promised to initiate an essay competition based on the life and works of Shah Hamadan. Allama Mohsin Hamadani and Asghar Hamadani also paid homage to the great Sufi. — Jonaid Iqbal